


Driving Straight Into Love and Christmas

by kangelique



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Banter, F/M, Falling In Love, Fun, Gen, Holidays, Humor, Road Trip, alternative universe, bit of angst but mostly flirting, crimes and investigation, loosely based on a novel called ' Dashing Through the Snow' but with some alternations, more tags to come..., sharing a car, slow burn but not alot, talk about pasts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-06 20:44:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16840084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kangelique/pseuds/kangelique
Summary: Emma Swan doesn't trust Killian Jones, doesn't know Killian Jones, and most certainly does not like the attraction she feels to Killian Jones when he proposes they share a car toward the same destination. She thinks all will be fine. They will share the car in silence, no need for talk and sooner than later part ways, but being confined to only one person and a single car kinda doesn't fall into line with that and much less what her heart is beginning to feel as they become closer, leaving Emma to wonder: What happens when they finally reach Maine?Pretty soon a snow storm hits, Killian is being framed, the car fails halfway, and they might want to talk about that kiss at the hotel...





	1. The Ticket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever read the book ' Dashing Through the Snow' ? Well it's by Debbie Macomber and it's actually one of my favorite Christmas books. I just happened to stumble across it at Walmart a few years back when my nerdy ass wandered off to the book aisle cause I couldn't help myself, lol. Of course there the characters of Ashley and Dash but Emma and Killian deserved their own Christmas road trip adventure so this was me putting them in that setting cause I thought it would be fun and I wanted to write a Christmas too, so when this idea just came with it, the pages kinda wrote themselves much faster than the other multi chapter story I'm working on (All Along, You Held My Heart) and TRYING to write but I keep getting distracted-except this a nice derail, I'll eventually to get writing the other stuff but for now, hope you like this!

"What do you mean you can't sell me a ticket?" Emma demanded, her anger rising by the minute as the reservation clerk woman faked to be scrolling through her computer screen 'looking' for available seats when really that was just to buy her time as her eyes kept flitting nervously to the left and to the right like she expected someone to come to her rescue.

Emma supposed she did look a little crazy, dark circles under her eyes, her outfit colors a bit mismatched - _ugh_ , she didn't even _like_ pink- because they'd been thrown in a haste just like the few clothing in her sole suitcase, and her ponytail done half ass, strands having escaped in her rush and now hanging/framing her face wildly as she looked about ready to lunge across the desk and grab- she glanced at the name tag- _Ruby_ by the shoulders and once again demand to be sold a damn ticket for the stupid plane!

OKAY. Deep breath. Deep breath. This will work out, Emma. "Okay, Ruby. We can sort this out," Emma began again, this time trying to stay cool-headed and lowering her tone to show her she was making the effort to be a decent human being -something that her old middle school teachers (maybe some high school teachers too) would have appreciated. But that wasn't the point right now. "Look, I know that this is last minute, but maybe if you search a little harder there might be something that you missed. I'll take anything, Ruby, at any time of the day or night, OR! or I'll even fly standby, but there _has_ to be something. Okay, I'm not leaving here until I have a definite way of transportation, so please. Please just search again, there's got to be _something._ Just look a little harder, it can't all be booked."

"I -I'm sorry, miss...but it is." The young girl said, looking and sounding hopeless, worriedly biting her lip and probably feeling like this was a crap job. "There's nothing I can do. I really wish I could help you, but like you said it was last minute, and all the flights are simply booked, there's nothing I can do about that."

Emma leaned in, her anger returning and her eyes just barely suppressing themselves from glaring. "Can't or _won't_ ?" she knew she was being unfair, but she could see the girl was dying to get home and maybe telling her 'There's nothing I can do' was easier than helping her go through some long ass process that only made both their nights longer. But who cares! This was her job, she had to do it!

There was a loud scoff from behind and Emma spun around, openly glaring and searching for the one who had dared scoff about her bad luck and persistence. A woman two people from her, stood in line, directly glaring at her back with her arms crossed, tapping her heel impatiently, and the look of annoyance firmly stuck to her face -a look that Emma realized most high-time business people wore with that ever-present purse of their lips and acting like they couldn't wait for anybody with all their bribery money thrown around and expensive suits, much like what the woman with short cut, straight black hair was wearing and currently still staring her down like that was gonna make her walk away from this counter.

"What?" Emma said pointedly, very clearing expressing in her tone that she didn't give a damn about what she had to say.

"Could you hurry up?" the black pantsuit witch asked none too kindly, waving the hand that held the phone as if to emphasize. "The rest of us also have somewhere to be, in case you hadn't noticed, and you're kind of holding up the line, miss..."

"Swan."

She smiled back but it was devoid of any friendliness and understanding. In fact, the darn woman seemed to straighten up, sizing her up. "Miss Swan, could you do us all the favor of hurrying it up?"

Emma rolled her eyes to annoy her farther, and had something very snappy on the tip of her tongue when the man behind the stuck up woman interrupted them with a hand up in surrender, like he was trying to call a cease-fire before any blows were actually shot -which in this case would probably be soon. "Ladies, ladies, there's no need to fight over this. It is a fine, agreeable statement that we all have somewhere we wish to get to, but I'm sure Swan is almost done. Isn't that right, love?"

"Uh...yeah," Emma blinked, feeling puzzled and having undergone an internal stumble because that British accent had caught her off-guard and the sincerity in his eyes when they met hers even more. He nodded encouragingly and she was unsure whether to return his small smile with a grateful smile of her own or just turn herself back around because she did not just think that he was the best thing that happened to her ever since she entered this airport. Yeah. That was a fleeting thought. She shook her head and went with the latter, muttering an embarrassed, "Thanks."

Ruby turned pleading eyes when she was unfortunately -on both their parts- faced with her again, and Emma saw her mouth form the 'I'm sorry' and that was it, her patience finally going to hell as she slammed her palm on the surface -so hard that it stung-and angrily exclaimed, "Fine! Fine! I get it, you can't do anything and you're sorry, well I'm sorry too!" bending down to pick up her bookbag and sling it over one shoulder while getting ready to drag her suitcase with the other, she finally said, "I'll just find another way then!" before stomping away and not sparing a second glance back in her fuming.

* * *

This sucked.

Of course Emma had assumed booking a flight this late with Christmas kind of literally around the corner would be hard, but she'd dared hoped that fate was on her side after she'd hung up that call. She'd even crossed her fingers on the way here and had endured herself into a whole praying ritual before she'd left her small, crappy apartment and then practically ran down the streets of New York City like a thief trying to desperately escape the police. That was ironic. Emma didn't exactly have the spotless record revolving around that. But whatever, that wasn't the point. The point was that her computer had also disappointed her when she had been in the process of buying a ticket online to save her this madness, but thanks to her low paying job at the moment, and the fact that she'd sort of just scraped by and bought the damn thing (on sale, guys, that should have told her something, but Emma never listened) on a whim only to have it freeze up on her, like, the fifth time she used it well...it all fell into perspective just how screwed up her life was right now. Not even having the internet to rely on when it felt like her life had just taken a huge turning point after that call. 

Emma inhaled, tapping her finger like it would make the answer come faster.

Options...options...options...

If only she had a car then she would have just gotten behind the wheel and zoomed away without another minute wasted, but she couldn't afford a car -not even an ugly junk car and that was actually sad to think about...

_Car!_

Oh my god, that was it, that was it!

Why hadn't she thought about that 15 minutes ago?

She kinda wanted to go back and apologize to that young girl for arguing so much with her and encouraging her to go home to drink her sorrows away after such a long day at work _and_ on top of that having to deal with Emma's anger. But her feet were already determinedly moving toward the car rental agency, travelling down an escalator, and then buoyantly striding to the one counter that displayed a car still available. All the others stated that the cars had been rented.

Maybe fate was on her side, after all.

"Hello," Emma said once she reached the counter without having to wait in line whatsoever. She was the only idiot that decided to do things last minute. It was a miracle that she even turned in her assignments on time, but she never in hell would let herself be tardy on that. This..this probably could have waited until after the holidays, but she knew the answer to that deep in her heart. "I need to rent a car," she said, stating the obvious. "I'm on my way to Maine."

The agent looked down at his computer screen, and Emma fought the urge to suppress her own yawn. She needed to be awake and alert for this -maybe she would stop for coffee somewhere. Yes, coffee. God she practically lived on coffee at this point. "You're in luck, miss. There's only one car left in the entire lot, probably in the entire airport. Seems like everyone else is also desperate to get somewhere this Christmas."

Emma ignored the 'desperate' comment and tried not to think about how much it applied to her when she quickly said, "I'll take it."

"Alright then I'll need a credit card and driver's license, please."

She thanked whoever was up there that she had remembered to renew her driver's license a few short months ago despite her current lack of an actual car as she retrieved both out of her bookbag and then proudly placed both on the countertop, feeling a strange mixture of fear and anticipation that she tried to push away for now. There would be time for that on the ride there. Maybe not a freak out, although she was still waiting for that to come. But certainly time, to process everything and gather her thoughts and all that genuinely came with a news like that.

"Excuse me," someone behind her said, and it took her a moment to recognize that voice. British guy again? "but did I just catch that correctly? You just informed the lass that was the last vehicle left in the lot?"

The agent nodded distractedly, not really paying attention, and Emma felt a little bad for the British guy's lack of an answer, so she spun around and replied," Yes," a bit of sympathy slipping into her voice when she saw the evident worry in the crease of his eyebrows. "Sorry. You weren't able to get a last minute ticket either?"

"No," he shook his head grimly but then sobered to a teasing smile. "but your friend chose standby, so at least you won't be seeing her here."

Emma scoffed, indignance rising. " _I_ would have flown standby if she'd offered it to me! Stupid girl," she muttered, shaking her head at the favoritism. Now she was glad she hadn't turned back to apologize. "And she's not my friend," she added pointedly, annoyed by even the reminder of the stuck up woman and her stupid suits and stupid money.

British guy chuckled softly, "Oh believe me, I know, love. You two looked about ready to enter war if I hadn't intervened on behalf of all the innocents -me included-in line," he grinned and Emma smiled despite herself, her heart totally not reacting to the 'love' he dropped so casually in his sentence. No, that would be dumb; they'd only just met. "But unfortunately I couldn't take my chances. Flights can be unpredictable, and even if I'd been offered standby as well, I couldn't risk it. I need to get to Maine; the wait would be too long."

"You need to get to Maine too?" Hm, what were the odds?

"Too?" he raised an eyebrow, and she saw something like understanding and _idea_ flick briefly through his eyes. Oh no, that had been the slip of the tongue. Emma glanced back at the agent -what was taking him so long?-, suddenly wanting to make her leave more than she'd wanted to before. "You're headed to Maine too, love?"

Emma crossed her arms defensively, face becoming impassive, very much aware that he was a stranger, and even though he'd managed to crack a smile out of her it didn't mean anything because he was a stranger, and she would never see him again after these two small encounters that were just purely chance. Nothing else. "Yeah," she said curly and turned her head back to look at the agent, urging him with all the willpower to speed it the hell up.

"Then I have a suggestion."

"No," she automatically said, feeling uncomfortable as her boot tapped impatiently, and the urge to get out of here increasing the more seconds that dragged. She was NOT about to ride this car with a stranger, it was just not going to happen. No.

"Simply hear me out, it's a workable solution for both of us," he insisted, and Emma simply focused her attention on the agent, biting her lip. "We both need to get to Maine, and by the tapping of your foot and scaring the poor girl to her wits back at the registration, it would appear that you're also in a hurry to get there too. Please. I have something of importance I need to get to as well."

"No," Emma finally met his eyes, and her mind went blank for one whole second. They were blue. _So, so blue._ The ocean was a perfect comparison. Or the sky. But they were captivating, and she could possibly drown in their depths if she let herself. _Jesus, Emma, forget his eyes._ She shook her head, "No, I'm not sharing this car with you. I'm sorry. I don't even know you, let alone trust you. It's not happening."

"I agree. Formalities are long overdue with us," he grinned and set the brown suitcase he had been carrying this whole time down, straightening up again to take his hand in hers in a proper handshake. She internally told herself she did not like the feel of his calloused fingers. Not at all, no. "The name's Killian Jones, love, at your service. Favorite color is blue. Hobbies consist of reading -actual books, of course, not that kindle crap- and watching old movies and collecting antiques that I like to think of as my treasures rather than what others like to call 'junk'. Distasteful word, really. And favorite food is pizza -pepperoni obviously. Will never go plain cheese, darling, it's an offense to the world of great pizza when there's pepperoni. Oh! and I also hailed from England, hence the sexy accent," he winked. "So there, now I'm not much of a stranger."

_He's right about the accent..._

Emma stepped back, letting his hand drop from hers and still ruefully shaking her head, unwilling, despite how one side of her mouth had twitched up in a smile in the middle of his introduction. "No. Really, you're still just a stranger. I can't. Sorry, seriously, but no."

"Please, Swan," he refused to give up. "Truly, I mean you no harm. I wish to get to Maine as much as you do. I'll pay for all the expenses since you've already payed for the car."

"Miss..."

 _That_ was tempting. If he payed for all the expenses then she could save herself some money and heaven knew she needed the money if she was going to get through college.

"I don't know..." God, she wanted to. Emma had never been one to be really cheap, but money was precious right now if she hoped to make it through her final year without much debt in regards to her classes and career in general. No, was it really worth it to risk her safety like this? As handsome as he was, how would this seem like to him now that he'd offered to pay for everything? It would appear like she was taking advantage and that made her uncomfortable, putting herself in an awkward position. No. It was final. She had gotten through everything in her life alone, and that's exactly how she would get through her final year too. She wouldn't use his money like that, to help herself. No, it was settled. And besides, she wasn't good company anyways. This was better for the both of them. "I'm sorry but -"

"Miss?"

"What?" she snapped, turning to face the agent who had taken too long to go through the transaction. 

"You should reconsider."

"Why?" Annoyance fell from her lips, and she adjusted the bookbag on her shoulder; a hint that this was taking forever.

"Because I can't rent the car to anyone under twenty-five."

"Oh."

_Oh._

Emma swallowed hard, this time adjusting the bookbag in frustation. Curse her stupid spring birthday.

She could practically hear the victorious smile in his voice, "And you're not twenty-five, are you, Swan?"


	2. Reassurances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm quite surprised myself that I actually got another chapter done so quickly but Saturdays are the best writing days and ta-da! Comments are welcome, I would like to know if my little sort of rewrite is doing good in entertaining you

Fate wasn't on her side, Emma was damn sure of it now. No backsies.

How worse could this get? This...this insufferable --okay, maybe not insufferable since she wasn't even sure of how he actually behaved without the charms and confined to her bad company in a car, so you know what? Probably insufferable. Most likely insufferable-- man-guy that said he was Killian Jones and had just given her the most amusing introduction ( better than others ) what was she left to do with all the cutesy way of dropping information that kinda left her wanting to say a few things about herself? Well too bad, because Emma wasn't about to say a single thing about herself --or more like _reveal_ anything about herself because she had a very big inkling that he'd just been completely honest and forthright with her, which was more than could be said of other men who had been fast in capturing her eighteen year old girl heart with drinks and lies and then decided to be honest and forthright with her at the last minute. 

That eighteen year old girl's heart was long gone now and replaced by the cold, stiff heart of this twenty-four year old woman.

_Twenty-four!_

Did she really have to be born in spring? God she could be in that stupid car by now if this Killian Jones hadn't come up behind her and overheard everything. Oh and then she had to go and let her mouth blab just because he made her a bit nervous! Did he? Was she nervous? Her heart was racing with anger and frustation, it wasn't none of that nervous crap. Exactly. See? Nervousness was crap. He didn't stir that up in her, why was she even thinking about that anyway? Emma wasn't freaking out. She wasn't. 

"I can see the battle raging in your mind, love."

Hell. He was a poet too? Battle, raging, who even talked that way anymore? What was this, the eighteen century now? Did she accidentally fall through a magical portal and meet this handsome poet or was bad luck just her thing?

Emma thinks it's her thing. Good things never happened to her, much less good people. Well, there was an exception, but that was it.

"Are you some sort of poet?"

Emma's head snapped back to the agent who had voiced her same question, and when she saw British guy handing him _his_ driver's license and credit card while _hers_ was pushed aside, she seemed to finally blink out of her trance.

"No! No, wait, what are you doing?" first she looked at the agent and then frantically turned to Killian with disbelief and indignance for how he'd just sidestepped past her and handed his credit card and driver's license without a word.

He had an amusing smile very present on his lips as he regarded her, "I believe I'm paying for the car, love."

"He's paying for the car, miss."

"Shut up," she said to the agent and there was no way he would be on her side now, but he'd already accepted his stuff and screwed up hers so who cares? Emma could flick her finger ( preferably the middle one) all she wanted. She turned to Killian with glaring eyes and crossed her arms. "and I'm not your love," she told him pointedly, making sure the distaste rolled off her tongue.

He was unfazed.

"Darling then," he paused to wink at her before accepting his driver's license and credit card back. She merely looked at him, hands curling into fists because he'd already won. He had the car. "And my suggestion still stands, darling. You are free to share the vehicle with me as long as you don't whack me over the head the second I'm distracted and then drive off without me. That would just be bad form, you know."

Emma scoffed; the agent snorted, and he was totally on the poet's side, the jerk.

"Luckily for both of us, I'm twenty-six. Saved by the bell as they like to say --or in this case, saved by the one blessed year, isn't that right."

"Yep," the agent nodded. Emma shot him a look that told him to steer clear out of this.

"You mean lucky for you," Emma scowled and shook her head.

"No, Swan, I meant everything I said earlier and now. The choice is yours, love. I simply beg that you make your choice quickly since I'd like to be in Maine by Christmas, two days time if my calculations are not mistaken."

What was she going to do?

What COULD she do?

There was nothing she could do at this point. He had the car, and she had a bad attitude that he was surprisingly still putting up with. What the hell was making him stay? He could be zooming away by now.

Zooming away...to Maine.

_Maine, Emma, Maine._

"Fine," she huffed and he gave her a dazzling smile in return that she in no way deserved after so much hesitation. The hesitation was fair though. She didn't truly know him and that introduction only went so far as to real actions. "But wait."

Killian froze in the middle of picking up his suitcase, and the agent looked annoyed, but she waved them both off.

"Yes, Swan?"

Emma looked him firmly in the eyes, "I want references."

"Ah," he said slowly. "To know that you can trust me?"

"Yes."

He arched one perfect eyebrow and one side of his mouth was twitching up into a smile. Emma could already tell the teasing was coming. "Do you truly believe that conversing with yet _another_ stranger will help convince you to put trust in _this_ stranger?"

She shrugged a shoulder, "That's the best I got. Even if I like it or not, I still have to ride the car with you."

"I gave you a choice," he sighed, and he was definitely exasperated. This was really taking long; he wasn't the only one itching to get to Maine.

"Well it wasn't much of a choice when you decided to step past me and pay for the car," she couldn't help the bit of bite in her tone.

"Alright," he exhaled and his hand went to his back pocket. "Who would you like to get assurance from, Swan?"

"Oh, um..." she had expected more of a fight on his part. "Uh, I don't know, anyone, I guess. Your girlfriend?"

Was there a double meaning in her asking?

"No lass at the moment," he wiggled his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes.

_Damn butterflies,_ Emma grit her teeth. _who told you to start fluttering._

"Okay then, your mother."

His shoulders visibly slumped and something in his demeanor changed, the light and humor replaced by a brief shadow of sadness in his irises that Emma could only guess was an onslaught of painful memories. It only lasted for a minute though, because he glanced down and then looked up, not really at her but at something over her head. He ran a hand through his hair before finally meeting her eyes, a bit of that shadow having faded away but still peeking over the edge like it wanted to drag him back into whatever had happened and keep him there, but he fought to shake it down. "Anybody else?" Emma knew that feeling too well.

"Um, I don't really know your family, so I can't say."

"Too right, lass," he swiftly pulled out his phone from his back pocket and Emma noted with a slight flare of jealousy that it was the latest _Apple_ version. As he pulled up his contacts and tapped one of the names at the top, Emma also noted that his chosen cover was ocean waves in the color of deep blue, looking haunting and like suffocating waters, appearing as if they were really moving when he tilted it this way and that, and inscribed in neat, black cursive were the words ' _Where The Ocean Meets The Sky'_. Interesting quote. Where had she heard it before? "There you are, love, I'll give you two privacy so you are assured that I'm not enhancing the replies in any way."

"Thanks," she responded quietly and gently held the phone while she watched him walk a few feet away with his suitcase, still thinking of the quote as she brought the phone to her ear, the person on the other line already speaking rapidly.

"Killian? Killian? Brother, I do hope you're calling to ensure me that you will be here on time for the interview, its already been postponed enough as it is for you to make a decision, you know how-"

"Hello?" Emma bit her lip and the person -male- on the other end cut off abruptly.

"Who are you?" the man asked, clearly surprised and every bit of suspicion in his tone as he directed it to her. Even through a call, Emma could tell that he was also British, although Killian's accent seemed to be more pronounced. They did sound almost alike. "Why do you have my brother's phone? Is this some sort of -"

"No, no," Emma rushed to assure him that she hadn't kidnapped the guy. "It's nothing bad like what you're probably thinking, I just needed to talk to someone that he's close to so that I'll know if I can...trust him."

"Trust him?" the man repeated, confused. "I'm sorry, lass, what's your name? I don't believe I follow."

"It's Emma. Emma Swan."

"Hm, Emma," he said and she could practically see the man with no face rubbing his chin in deep thought and...was she hearing correctly or had that just been amusement in his voice? "Alright, lass, I'm listening. Why do you so desperately need to have trust in my little brother? Because, no offense, but no girlfriend of his has ever called me on his phone to talk about that specific aspect of a relationship. It's quite...odd."

"What?" she blurt out and then sputtered, her face heating up. "No, no, I'm not his girlfriend, we're not dating or anything, I just..." she closed her eyes and inhaled, preparing herself to explain. "Okay, look. The story is that we're both heading to Maine and since we both didn't have luck in booking a ticket for plane, we decided to rent a car. Originally, I was going to get the car for myself, but it just so happens that the stupid thing demands you to be at least twenty-five to drive it. Here's where your brother made a suggestion that we share the car since we're both going to the same place, and me, unfortunately being only twenty-four, kinda has to agree because I have no other way of getting there and just like your brother's business, mine is also important. So," she paused to take a breath. "If I'm going to share the car, I'd like to at least know that he's not some secret serial killer or is carrying a gun in his suitcase, you know, stuff like that. Although I'm not even sure you would tell me anyway if either of those things were true..."

The man laughed wholeheartedly and Emma briefly wondered about Killian's laugh. "I see, lass, I see. Well I can't say I'm surprised that Killian made that suggestion. It sounds rather reasonable to my ears, and now I'm aware that all my reminding him to be a gentleman and never leave a lady stranded payed off. Quite literally, might I add," Emma laughed and it was actually genuine. 'Well I undestand the gravity of the situation, dear Emma, so rest assured that you have nothing to fear from Killian. In fact, I can go as far as to say that he will keep you from harm and protect you."

"I can protect myself," Emma said, annoyed.

"I'm sure you can, Emma," the man chuckled and Emma did indeed feel herself becoming assured. "I was merely trying to further state that you can trust him."

"Okay then," Emma nodded and saw Killian glance back with a curious expression but patiently waiting. "I think this helped."

"I'm glad it did, lass."

"And...that interview you were talking about, what's that about?" she was prying now but she hadn't realized how increasingly curious Killian's little introduction had left her, wanting to know more. He glanced back again, appearing wary and this time staring in her direction longer like he could discern what they were speaking about if he focused hard enough.

"Oh, um, well I'm not quite sure if my little brother would like me to tell you about that. Perhaps it's something you could ask him. It's more his business than mine, I am merely the one who played a hand in recommending him for it and landing him the interview. I hope that doesn't dissuade you."

"Oh. No. No, it doesn't. I understand," out of the corner of her eye she saw the ' little brother ' begin walking back toward her and knew this conversation -and the time for stalling- was over.

"Would like to hear something embarrassing about him in recompense?"

That caught her off guard. "Yes...?"

"Killian was seven years old the first time he sat on Santa's lap. We were at the mall a bit farther from our home because one of its little shops there sold _the best_ milkshakes, and he was already a book nerd at that age so I suppose at some point he'd read a certain tale about the underwater world called Atlantis, you heard of it?"

He was getting closer.

"Yeah."

"Well when Santa asked him what he would like for Christmas, Killian happily burst out ' I wish for Atlantis!', and Santa, being the great kid person he was-the bastard-told him that was impossible because Atlantis didn't exist, so of course that crushed Killian's soul and he cried so hard that he actually _peed_ on the jolly man's lap right after him calling -and I quote- 'a bit fat tomato impostor'."

Emma burst out laughing along with his brother just as Killian finally reached her and asked for the phone with an expectant hand, sounding bored to mask his annoyance.

"Is that Killian? Yes, It's Killian. He knew I would tell you, that why he's so ticked off. Mission accomplished, then. Safe travels, Emma. And if you wish to tease him just say ' Did you ever find Atlantis' and he goes redder than the tomato I spoke of."

"Okay," there were remnants of her laughter in her response, and Killian looked at her worriedly, brow furrowing. "Thank you, uh..."

"Liam."

"Right. Yes. Liam. Thank you."

When Killian got ahold of his phone again, he spun around and whisper-half yelled, "Liam, what the bloody hell did you tell her?!"

Emma tried to keep the smile at a minimum by pressing her lips together in a firm line when he hung up the call and turned to face her, still suspicious because it was evident Liam hadn't revealed anything of their conversation. "Well are you assured, Swan?" he asked a bit grudgingly.

"Oh yeah. You can fill out the paperwork," she said and left him to it, picking up her suitcase.

* * *

Killian finished filling out the paper, and the agent looked relieved to see them gone. Emma couldn't blame him; the feeling was mutual. They walked in silence to the waiting area for the bus that would drive them to the rental car lot. Once there, a lonesome and small volkswagen waited for them in the otherwise empty vicinity, and thanking the bus driver, they began walking toward it.

"It's yellow," he commented as they got closer, his nose wrinkling in distaste to the color.

"Yellow's nice," Emma replied defensively and for no reason at all, just feeling the need to protect the car from his judgement. What was wrong with yellow? Yellow was fine.

He shot her an amused look and muttered a 'Blue is better' as he opened the trunk and then reached for her suitcase first. Emma immediately began to protest and was about to lift it up herself to stop him from doing it when he asked with wide eyes, "Swan, where is your backpack?"

She panicked _oh no!_ and then saw it still on the floor where she had put it. She turned back to find Killian's mischievous grin and her suitcase already inside the trunk. She was about to enlist in a glare as he bent to pick up his own suitcase when she decided to pass by him instead and stop to whisper huskily in his ear, "Did you ever find Atlantis?" before skipping over to the passenger side.

A moment later she heard his suitcase fall with a dull thud and then a 'Damn it, Liam!' shortly after, followed by a couple of grumbles.

_Oh yes_ , she smiled to herself.

Emma Swan could also play dirty.


	3. At Odds and Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took a totally different turn from how I was going to write it, but I can see it happening between Emma and Hook, so fingers crossed, don't hate me

The seat belt buckle clicked with a satisfying little click, and Emma's smug smile didn't waver from her very chapped lips -when was the last time she had applied chapstick? College did that to you. Or at least to Emma it did. The most smallest things escaped her and were overrun by stress to be the best and give her best- even after the driver's door opened and Killian got in with a blank expression on his face, not even looking in her direction as the car rumbled to life and he set his hands on the wheel.

Oh, he was _SO red._ His whole face practically engulfed in red. She'd never seen anyone blush so madly like that but she'd certainly found a way -or more like _gotten._ Thank you, Liam, wherever you are- to throw him off his kilter, and for that Emma felt blessed.

There was the itty bitty part of that did feel ashamed for using his embarrassing childhood moments against him; everyone had embarrassing childhood moments that they would like to never talk about again and bury deep in the past like a pirate buried his treasure. Emma definitely had those kind of moments that she'd rather forget, but it wasn't because they were particularly cringe worthy or funny, and you know what? They weren't even embarrassing either, they were just plain out traumatizing and scar full to the young girl she'd been and the grown ass woman she was now ( No, wait, wait, not SO grown up. In her mind, Emma was still young despite heading into her late twenties in a few months and let's not mention the fact that her forehead barred some worry wrinkles from how much crap college had undoubtedly put her through. Jesus Christ, that had totally scared her the first time she saw herself in the mirror).

Anyway, she felt pleased at her little dig. She really hadn't meant it to be malicious in any way, it was just...and Emma was gonna be honest with herself, all that flirting and smirking and 'Darling' had left her off her kilter more times than she could count in the last twenty minutes. It annoyed her, hence the payback.

As Killian rolled out of the parking lot -in silence still, his blush having slightly subsided from his cheeks- they were met with a long string of police cars that raced toward the airport, red lights flashing but no sirens blaring at full volume. Emma didn't sit up. She merely continued holding her bookbag in her lap with both arms around it, idly playing with the zipper and vaguely aware that she probably looked like a petulant child.

"I wonder what that's about," Killian mumbled, glancing in the police cars direction and then fixing his eyes on the road again.

"Mm," was her only reply as her head slowly came to rest against the window, still fingering the zipper; the cool metal helping keep herself from going under, and hugging the bookbag tighter to her chest.

Building after building rolled by while Emma tried to decide whether or not to call her now and let her know she would be gone for a couple days, weeks maybe? It seemed wrong to only leave a letter written on a _napkin_ in her hasty exit and also most likely (VERY LIKELY) unreadable because Emma's handwriting was in general scratchy (hands up for typing!) and ugly, and when in a rush, it was just sad. But some part of wasn't sure because she herself couldn't believe it. Couldn't _let_ herself believe it.

Emma didn't know how it made sense in her brain, but somehow calling her to let her know made it more _real_. Her heart had had enough disappointments throughout the years, she really wasn't sure if she could get through this one if it turned out to be a lie or just another big disappointment added to the many others that trailed behind her like chains. She had to guard her heart, and that meant hardening herself to the reality that it could not be true so IF it turned out to not be true, Emma would be able to say 'I expected it' without breaking down in front of strangers and turning to walk away with an indifferent expression.

That last part left her a bit teary, and she willed the tears to stay at bay. _Not yet, not here._

How many times had she done that already?

Emma subtlely sniffed and thanked the tears that she'd learned to tame by taking deep breaths ( but deep breaths would give her away right now) and were usually stubborn and just did the complete opposite, for obeying her this time, grateful that she still had her head resting against the window and the glass couldn't reflect in any way her pained expression or her slightly quivering lip.

"Everything alright, Swan?" he asked her so quietly that she almost wasn't sure she'd heard correctly, confused if it was actually directed at her but _of course it is, Emma, you're Swan, duh._ His question had also come a little unsteady, like he had been stuck between asking her or leaving her be, afraid that she would repel him away.

"Everything's fine, Jones," and oh wow, her voice hadn't come out shaky. Pat herself in the back if she could for swallowing before speaking in an almost monotone voice, distant.

Repel him she did.

Reflex.

"Alright then."

He didn't say anything more, and Emma went back to staring out the window, this time focusing on the passing buildings and streets harder to shut out the other pressing thoughts away for now in a secluded area that she would only return to when she was alone.

Emma wasn't surprised to see so much traffic in front of them even though it was already three minutes from becoming midnight, but this was New York City after all and she took comfort in the noises that came from either side of them of other cars and taxis honking away to "Hurry the f**** up! Do you not see the green light there, you fool?". She was accustomed to it, it was a familiarity. And the aliveness of the city at night definitely helped her fall asleep when she crawled into bed, dead tired, and those sounds were the only ones there to lull her to sleep instead of a mother's soothing hand.

Late night traffic was definitely nothing compared to morning traffic.

Mornings were hell.

A small smile briefly crossed her lips when she saw the red and green lights adorning the trunks of some of the trees when they passed Central Park, swirling around and around their trunks like snakes, effectively reminding him that Christmas was close and that she'd had no plans and not even enough money to buy herself a real tree because every damn dime was being saved to pay for her career.

Emma sighed; the sadness inside her accidentally slipping into that sigh, making her instantly regretful.

"You can sleep if you want, sweetheart, I doubt will be onto any highway or road anytime soon." he still sounded a bit dismayed, obviously still not over his embarrassment and Emma didn't miss the quick scratch at his ear that she immediately guessed was a nervous telltale of his. She saw it out of the corner of her eye and refused to admit it was cute. Only kind of. Just kind of.

"No, it's fine."

She hugged the bookbag a little tighter to her chest, wishing she was by herself and could just splay out the most important content inside on her lap. But she wasn't alone, and Emma would just have to settle for holding the bookbag like a lifeline instead of letting him see what it was.

He wasn't anyone to her, and would never be anyone to her despite how genuinely and earnestly he'd told her that she could sleep if she wanted to. Like he cared about her getting her sleep and rest.

_Yeah right..._

* * *

Emma's eyes popped open in a blurry panic when she was thrown upward in her seat and then jostled back down from side to side before finally settling, the side of her head just barely knocking against the window with a light _thump!_ that served to wake her up further.

"Apologies, love," Killian grimaced. "Pothole. I didn't see it."

"It's okay," Emma replied, rubbing her eyes and withholding what was no doubt a loud yawn, not quite in her senses yet and blinking a few times to get the last dregs of sleep out. She shifted uncomfortably on her spot, muscles stiff and making her aware that she really dozed off and for a really _long_ time, it seemed.

Two hours, to be exact when she caught sight of the numbers on the dashboard and then noticed that they were officially out of the city now, no streetlamps or tall buildings or clutters of cars and their impatient sounds that Emma felt she'd still been hearing just two minutes ago instead of two hours ago.

Wow. So she really had been tired.

"Did you have a nice nap?"

"Mm, yeah," she nodded and arched her back, stretching her arms out to the sides and realizing that her bookbag was now seated perfectly in between her feet. Emma wondered if it had simply fallen that way somewhere in the two hours of her blank dream or if he'd reached out somewhere in the two hours and placed it there.

It was silent for the next few minutes as Emma's mind fought off the last bit of fogginess from her sleep, everything slowly becoming clearer -along with the evident grumbling of her stomach that suddenly screamed for food because when was the last time she'd ate?- and Killian keeping his eyes up ahead, all concentration and duty in the way he held the wheel that faintly made Emma's exhaustion think of a captain (Titanic anybody?) or military soldier. Her delirium getting the best of her, and she did not just imagine him in a captain's uniform. Although...

_OH-MY-GOD, Emma! You barely woke up and you're fantasizing about him?_

It wasn't a _dirty_ thought, of course. Not yet, at least, and she felt grateful she'd been so exhausted that her unconscious state hadn't come up with anything dirty in her sleep. Finally the stress of college worked for something in her favor. And whatever, it was just Killian Jones in a captain's uniform. Emma could definitely see him in one. Just like she could also see one side of his mouth twitching up into a smile or smirk -oh please, it was the latter- and knew what was coming before he even-

"Has anyone ever told you that you snore?"

THAT she had not been expecting, and that annoying little smirk was out and about now, on full display for her to see as red immediately came to color her cheeks, and _God,_ how many times had he already smirked in her presence? It was insane. And how many times had she already blushed in his presence? _Blushed for God's sakes!_

Emma was so lost in chiding herself for reacting like a damn teenager -that was so her body's fault, she wasn't even properly coherent right now and the jerk probably knew that too- and then chiding herself more for falling asleep in general that she failed to sound as indignant as she should be, her thoughts a big jumble of ' _Crap'_ and ' _Do I really snore?'_ , making her question all the times she had fallen asleep on the bus and seriously wishing her stomach wasn't grumbling and making life difficult _because come on, dude, I can't feed you right now!_

"I do not," she finally said rather snappily. That could be a lie. How was one even aware of their own snoring? She'd have to record herself for that and that would just be weird.

"Would you like to bet on that, love?"

"No," Emma crossed her arms at her stomach and turned her gaze back to the window, annoyed by the grin he was sporting and annoyed at herself for thinking she liked it instead of feeling an air of suffocation and tension like she had been expecting and not expecting. Emma suspected he had this thing that made the air more humorous and light even in an awkward situation, and that was bright red lights in Emma's eyes because she didn't want to feel safe with him. That just could not happen. It was better to be on edge, no attachment, no feelings. "And I'm not your love," she reminded him again, a bit exasperated.

"Darling-"

"No."

"Sweetheart-"

"No."

"Em-"

"NO," and she immediately clamped her mouth shut. Emma clenched her eyes shut but when she opened them, no tears had even surfaced and she felt no sign of them surfacing. It took her a minute to figure out why before she remembered she didn't cry over Neal anymore, it was just the short use of her name 'Em' that had left a sour taste on her soul. And sometimes she forgot she didn't cry for him anymore because she'd cried for him for so long that sometimes it still felt like she would. But Emma didn't.

"No to your own name, Emma?" there was a soft teasing in his voice but the worry was evident in his eyes when she met them and then quickly looked away. No doubt he was surprised at the sudden anger in her no, but it had been reflex and she wasn't about to explain why.

"It's just Emma. Nothing else."

Emma had hoped that informing him curtly would deter him away and make him dislike her enough to not want to talk to her, but it did quite the opposite.

"If that's what you wish, love, then-"

"Are you always like this?" she snapped and his eyebrows flew up to his hairline. Yep. It was just surprise after surprise.

"Like what, Emma?" he asked tentatively and she was such a jerk, but the hurt was doing the talking for her and she just couldn't find the pause button.

"Like...like...like _that!_ Calling every girl you meet or have to share a car with 'love' or 'darling' or 'sweetheart' and thinking it's okay because they probably melt at your feet? Well calling me that isn't going to bring you that effect so you can stop right now because unlike every other girl that swoons for you, those little endearments aren't going to get you anywhere with me, alright? I'm sure you'll have plenty of others to flirt with once this car ride is over so why don't you go ahead and save it."

He recoiled back like he'd been physically slapped and she suddenly felt like curling up into a ball because the anger was pulsing through her veins, fast and hard, but the anger wasn't directed at him. Except he didn't know that. And Emma had certainly messed up but he was already pissed when he spoke and she wanted to bang her head against the window for the hurt that had crossed her face before he made it expressionless. "Aye. You're too right, lass. I will save it."

No, no, no! She wasn't right, she wasn't right! _I'm not right!_

But Emma didn't tell him that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise they will reconcile in the next chapter and they will certainly be happier moments to make up for this one. If you're curious about the actual story, in the book it's kind of reversed and Dash is sort of a jerk to Ashley and she does fall asleep and he teases her about her snoring but then he realizes his phone isn't in the car and blames her for it in his frustation. The phone getting lost will happen later, probably next chapter after Emma finally makes her phone call to her friend -or not. I'm still thinking about it.  
> ANNNNND...Can you guys guess who's Emma's friend?


	4. Coffee and I'm Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* So I wasn't able to get this up on time for Christmas, but the muse wasn't striking as well as it had for the other 3 chapters and December just turned out to be quite the busy month. But as promised, Emma finally apologizes and we see more of her and Killian with those 'Im staring to like you but Iet's just keep smiling at each other and not make it obvious' moments. I do hope you guys had a nice time with your family and friends on Christmas day/Christmas Eve and ate lots of good food!!!!!!

"Wait, why are you turning?"

Killian didn't answer but simply exited the freeway, not letting his attention waver from up front, and Emma didn't have it in her heart to demand what the hell he was doing and why were not on the road anymore. Instead she looked away when she felt the pang of guilt hit her for the third time since they'd ridden in silence after she'd practically called him a player in all capital letters and exclamation points. If he weren't mad then maybe she'd tease him or compliment him ( although it was 50-50 chance for either ) on following the 'eyes on the road, no texting' rule so hardcore. But this wasn't a time for teasing or complimenting. It was time for a freaking apology that had been long overdue by an hour and thirty minutes.

Emma sighed quietly, though it wasn't from exhaustion. Funny how after she'd insulted him her body had been so awake and alert that falling back to sleep was an impossibility -not that she would have, for the first time since they'd met it was too uncomfortable for that. _And all your fault,_ her body and mind did good in reminding her. That's what sucked more. The uncomfortableness hadn't been brought up by him ( like she had quite honestly been expecting to happen so she could have a reason to shut him about and not feel bad about it ) but by her. If she was going to be honest with herself, she wanted his light and humor back, she _missed_ it for this past hour and thirty minute silent treatment and...crap, that couldn't be a good thing.

It was a tired sigh. Tired of the silence. And also due to Neal always lurking in the shadows, ruining something as small as an endearment because of everything he'd done to her. How hard it was to accept something as nice as 'sweetheart' or 'darling' because she'd come to believe that beautiful things weren't for someone like her. It wasn't fair to Killian. It wasn't fair to have him get caught in the middle of her broken heart.

_And it's time to freaking apologize, Emma!_ she urged herself but she didn't know even know how to start and that was a problem. _Starting over is always the hard part,_ a kind woman whose face was now blurry in her memories had once told her when she was about to go into her fourth foster home, and yes it was, Emma could remember feeling the fear and the uncertainty -much like now, but supposedly fear and uncertainty meant you were about to do something really, really brave that could lead to a good thing -or maybe that was just the lover of quotes inside her talking.

Could he be a good thing?

Killian angled the car into an empty parking slot and at last Emma saw the drab building standing a few feet away, lacking everything in cheer and brightness for the holiday that New York had practically splashed and rolled over in -in a good way. She turned and looked over at him confused at the same time he answered her spoken and unspoken question, "Rest stop."

"Oh."

_Okay..._

Emma nodded and he opened his door without another word, cold air rushing in and a chill running up her spine when she opened her own door and stepped out, not realizing how much the temperature had dropped. She closed her door at the same time he did and waited until he walked around to where she was standing, restraining her usual lip biting, to open her mouth and- 

"Shall we go?" he didn't look at her directly and his voice was almost devoid of emotion. She hated herself for that _but when don't you screw up, Emma?_ She glanced up and found him looking at her expectantly, if a bit concerned by the small furrow of his eyebrows because she had probably ended up staring at the ground longer than necessary.

She nodded again, "Yeah," and then grit her teeth when the wind came out of nowhere and bit at her skin. _Okay, okay, I get it, I'm gonna apologize in one, two, thr-_

"Alright then," he turned and began walking when she suddenly burst out 'Killian!' and stopped him with a hand to his arm.

Their eyes met.

"Aye?"

She felt sparks. She felt electricity. She felt her walls hesitant to go up.

"I'm sorry," she finally said breathlessly but didn't step back. Didn't pull away. Something kept her there. Maybe it was his gaze and how it said 'I forgive you' with just his expression. Was this cheesy? And kinda weird how easily she could read him as well as he could her? Slowly she loosened her grip on his arm, fingers sliding away. Slowly she took the step back as she should have a minute ago. And finally she snapped into focus of herself and what she'd just done and...everything. Emma cleared her throat, "Sorry. I'm sorry. For what I said earlier. I didn't mean it like that, I wasn't actually angry at you, you. It was at someone else," she almost grimaced, had she really just opened a door for him to step through and start asking questions?

He blinked. Whatever spell they'd briefly experienced, it seemed like he was barely coming out of it too. Crap, experienced? What, no, that was- "I understand your reaction to the nickname, Emma, more than you know." he nodded toward the car. "The silent ride here gave me a lot to think about as well."

"You do?" she searched his eyes, wanting to know and unable to have him just be another liar who pretended to understand.

He smiled sadly and whispered, "Sometimes the things that are the most small are the ones that end up having the most painful of significants."

Emma took in a shallow breath but found nothing. No lie. She was face to face with a hurting soul.

"Yeah," she breathed because what the hell, she was lost and found at the same time, was something like that even possible? Emma shook her head. "So can you forgive me?"

Killian grinned, "I can," and winked. "Swan."

She laughed and rolled her eyes, "Okay, _Jones._ "

"Oh I see I've earned myself an endearment," he bumped her shoulder playfully.

She snorted, "In your dreams," and bumped him back. He smiled and Emma smiled in return, only slightly surprised by how easy it was and happy to have his light and humorous self back because, weirdly, it made her light and humorous too. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and not just the need to apologize, but also something else. Something Emma had never truly shared with anyone.

Was she reading too much into this?

Maybe she was.

_You always do._

They began walking toward the building, falling into step next to each other and occasionally throwing small smiles in each other's direction. Emma dug her hands into her pockets and the silence was a comfortable one.

When they reached the building, Killian left to the men's restroom while Emma headed to the women's. Upon entering she quickly glanced down at the stalls from where she was standing and was satisfied to see that they were all empty and she was alone. Good. She needed to be alone if the breaking down happened, although she felt eerily calm and she guessed that was due to Killian, so she wasn't expecting that when she pulled out her phone and dialed the number that her voice would tremble when the person on the other end said,

"Hello?" came the confused and disoriented groggy voice.

"Hi," Emma practically squeaked but the tears remained where they should be. Inside her. And for that she was relieved. She couldn't go back out there looking like she'd just cried a whole river.

"Oh my god, Emma, is that you? Are you okay? what time is it...?" there was some rustling, a lot of moving around and something falling to the floor with a loud _clang!_ "Crap, my tea cup just broke."

"It's four in the morning," Emma sniffed.

"Yeah I see that from here, but...what's wrong?"

"I know It's a bad time to call but-"

"No, no, no, no but's Emma. You can talk to me. What's going on?"

Emma took a deep breath to prepare herself and then nodded, though she couldn't see that. "I left New York," she finally announced and bit her lip.

There was a moment of silence and then- "You..You left?" the shock was clear and Emma found herself closing her eyes, wishing that wasn't the case. A part of her just wishing she hadn't left at all and wait for the disappointment to strike because it never failed to. Getting another call of 'I'm sorry, Emma, but we were misinformed' would have been more welcome, more _expected_ as sad as it was to hear, than the unknown she was about to head into. "Wait, you left New York, why? I don't understand, and how did you leave? When did you even leave, Emma, what...?"

Emma sighed, "I know it's a lot for a four in the morning conversation, but I had to let you know. And I did leave you a note -you probably won't be able to read it- but yeah, a note. Back at my place."

"I still don't understand," she muttered and Emma braced herself. "The only reason I can think of why you would leave is because..." she gasped. "Emma, did you-"

"I found my parents, Belle," she told her shakily and fought back the tears by squeezing her eyes shut and giving a watery laugh instead, "Yeah. I-I think I did."

"Are-are you sure? What confirmed it?"

"Nothing did. At least not yet. I'm on my way right now to confirm it."

"Wait, RIGHT NOW?" she could basically hear Belle jumping up into a sitting position. "Well, where are you, I'll start up my car and pick you up wherever you are so that we-"

"No, uh..." she didn't know how this was going to come across. Emma sighed, _to hell with it, you already told her the best and worst news of_ _your_ _life, it's not like he's the best and worst of your life too._ God, did she ever make sense? "Actually I'm with someone."

"Oh."

Another beat of silence.

"Yeah."

"So..." Belle started wearily. "You're riding with a stranger?"

Emma's eyes widened, "Not like THAT, Belle!"

"What? Oh, no, that's not what I meant! I meant riding in the car, same car, not the riding riding like -gosh, Emma, that's not what I meant!"

She laughed, "Okay, okay, I get it now," and Belle joined in, probably more out of embarrassment than anything. "But yeah, turns out that we're heading the same way and it's a long story, but short version I couldn't get a ticket to fly by plane and then apparently you need to be twenty-five -did you hear me, two and five- to be able to rent a car and guess who wasn't twenty-five to rent the car!" Yep, that still annoyed her.

"So the guy fit the age limit and now you two are sharing the car," Belle said, quickly putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Yeah," her brows furrowed. "Wait, I never told you it was a guy."

"Your reaction to the riding told me everything I need to know, and also that he's hot or handsome or both!" Belle giggled and Emma felt her cheeks flare up at the thought of Killian outside - _outside._ She should probably get going.

"Belle, I have to go."

"Excuses much?"

She rolled her eyes -but maybe yeah. "No, we have to get back on the road and right now we just stopped to rest or whatever, and no healthy person goes to pee for like ten minutes, which is how much I've been gone."

"Tell me his name before you go."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Fine. Killian Jones is his name, happy now? And do not-"

"Oooh how sexy and mysterious, I approve."

Emma shook her head. "I'm not going to say anything."

"M, well you don't have to."

"What is that supposed to mean?" It sounded too knowing...

"You know," but then Belle sobered. "Listen, keep me updated, okay? I'm here if you need me, and please be careful with this stranger. Whatever happens with your parents, just know that you have a friend to come back to in New York."

She almost cried right then and there. "Thank you, Belle."

"You don't have to thank me," Belle suddenly yawned and Emma was reminded that she'd literally called her friend at four in the damn morning, and frankly, both of them combined were so not morning people.

"Okay, I hate me too for waking you up so early, go back to sleep."

"We're on break, remember."

"Yeah but-"

"You work too hard, Emma. Forget about college right now."

She sighed tiredly. "I don't know about that. Bye, Belle."

"Bye, Emma."

She hung up and stowed the phone back in her pocket. No tears had escaped but she still splashed her face with water, shivering slightly at the coldness before wiping herself dry with a towel. Bringing her ponytail down, she brushed her hair with her fingers and then gathered it at all up again, satisfied with a much more cleaner and higher result, somehow it was relieving to see that at least _this_ she was still able to set right.

Emma found Killian standing at a small outbuilding with a man who wore a cap that stated he was a Vietnam veteran, apparently a volunteer for the VFW when she got closer and noticed the free coffee and cookies he was offering to travelers. Killian was talking to the man when he saw her approach and smiled. She couldn't help smiling in return, the quick upward of the corners of her lips giving her no choice.

"All ready, darling?"

"Yeah," she nodded, sticking her hands back in her pockets to feign off the biting wind from her available skin and then coming to a stop next to him. Emma didn't feel her small smile falter at the endearment that fell naturally from his lips again, in fact she felt her smile grow wider, if only for an inch.

"Uh," the veteran volunteer man awkwardly cleared his throat and Emma wondered if he thought he was ruining a moment when they both turned their attention to him. "Would you care for some coffee, my lady?" he waved his hand toward the foam cups and small packets of sugar.

"Actually yes," she responded a little too eagerly, one hand immediately going for a cup.

Killian chuckled and she once again felt her cheeks go warm as she grabbed one of the sugar packets. "Take your time, love. So have you had any luck?"

She was about to say 'what luck' when she realized the question wasn't directed at her but at the veteran man.

Frowning, the man shook his head. "I honestly don't know what's the matter with people these days. I showed up this morning and found the whole litter of pups someone had dumped in a box in the parking lot. Poor little buggers were near frozen to death but bringing them in here, they warmed up and I was able to secure three of them homes. Now I only have one left."

"Then I say you did quite well for them, mate. All animal lovers in the world should thank you, me included."

"You like animals?"

Emma continued stirring the sugar around.

Killian shrugged a shoulder, "Well I suppose I-"

The veteran cut him off with a kind smile, "Well why don't you take a look? Cute as can be the little one."

Emma took a tentative sip and then decided it needed more sugar at the same time Killian said, "I'll take a look but no promises, mate, my companion here will also need to have a say in the matter."

"Fair enough."

Emma heard the man say 'He's over here' but was too busy preparing another cup to watch as Killian followed him to where there was a large cardboard box tucked up close to a heater and a sole brown puppy cuddled up on a towel, sound sleep. There was indistinct talking between the two men and a small bark that let her know the puppy had just woken when suddenly she looked up and was struck with Killian's puppy eyes.

"Oh." Understanding finally seemed to dawn on her.

He smiled sweetly, "Swan, why don't you just take a lo-"

She shook her head, "No because then you're going to convince me and we can't bring a dog with us, Jones, you're forgetting all their necessities that come along with that."

He grinned and sauntered over to her, "Sounds like you're already convinced, love."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Nope."

"I see otherwise."

"You see wrong."

Killian looked at her pleadingly and she _almost_ caved. "Come on, Swan, just a peek and nothing more."

She raised an eyebrow, "If I do it, will you stop doing that thing with your eyes?"

"Doing what, sweetheart?" he asked innocently and she thrust both cups of coffee into his hands -one for her and one for him.

"Okay, fine, lead me to the-"

It barked again and Emma's attention was pulled to two dark round eyes staring up at her, tail waggling. She bent down to pet his head and then, as if it wanted to melt her the same way Killian did, it licked her hand and weakened her resolve as he stood up on its hind legs, jumping around and doing theatrics for her. His enormous brown, brown eyes connected with hers as if to say 'Take me, take me' _and dammit Killian._

"Well what's the final verdict, my lady?" the man inquired to the left of her and she ignored his too knowing smile to quickly spin around and slap Killian's leg, almost making him spill the liquid from the cups.

"Fine," Emma grumbled and stood up. "Will take it."

"Now that's the Christmas spirit, Swan!"

"Shut up," but she smiled and yeah, maybe his puppy eyes had melted her too. 

Just a little.


End file.
